Infant formulas and nutrition products enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides and processes for their preparation

ABSTRACT

Nucleosides and/or nucleotides are added to non-milk based infant formulas, to provide a formula having enhanced physiological properties and also closely resemble human milk. Additionally, nutritionally balanced diet formulations are described having nucleosides and/or nucleotides incorporated therein.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/055,858, filed June 1, 1987, which was abandoned upon the filing hereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART

The present invention relates to the composition of, and processes for making, products for infant formulas and for nutritional products suitable for both infants and adults, and particularly for clinical nutrition. These products may be administered orally or by enteral feeding tubes. These products are enriched with specific nucleosides, nucleotides, or mixtures thereof.

Infant formulas are derived, to a large extent, from cow's milk. After being diluted, the cow's milk is enriched with whey proteins, diverse carbohydrates, such as lactose, dextrin, maltose and starches, different mixtures of vegetable and animal fats, vitamins and minerals. These components are present in suitable amounts to meet the requirements of low birth weight newborns or those of at term healthy infants during the first and second semester of life.

Sometimes, infant formulas contain isolated milk proteins, isolated vegetable proteins or protein hydrolyzates, from different origins such as casein, lactalbumin, soy and meat. Also, these infant formulas have one or more carbohydrates (sucrose, dextrin, maltose and starch), mixtures of diverse kind of fats, minerals and vitamins, to meet not only the healthy newborns' nutritional requirements, but also of infants and children with clinical symptoms of lactose intolerance, protein intolerance and, in general, with diverse malabsorption-malnutrition syndromes.

The European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (ESPGAN), the American Academy of Pediatric (AAP), the Codex Alimentarius Mundi, and the European Community Council, among other organizations, have given general rules for the composition of infant formulas (ESPGAN Committee on Nutrition, Acta Paed Scand, Supl 262, 1977; ESPGAN Committee on Nutrition, Acta Paed Scand, Supl 287, 1981; ESPGAN Committee on Nutrition, Acta Paed Scand, Supl 302, 1982; ESPGAN Committee on Nutrition, Acta Paed Scand, Supl 330, 1987; AAP Committee on Nutrition, Pediatric Nutrition Handbook, 1979; AAP Committee on Nutrition, Pediatrics, 75, 976, 1985; EEC Council, 85/C 28/05 COM (84) 703 final, 1985; EEC Council, 86/C 124/06 COM/86 91 final, 1986; Codex Alimentarius Mundi, Codex Stan 72-1981).

As used herein, the term "infant formulas" is intended to refer to the well established understanding as defined by ESPGAN Committee on Nutrition, Acta Paed Scand, supl 262, pg 3, supra, and also the American Academy of Pediatrics (Pediatrics, Vol 57 no 2, pg 281, February 1976).

In general, infant formulas tend to have a composition qualitatively and quantitatively as similar as possible to human milk. Nevertheless, despite the efforts made by several researchers, infant formulas still have a number of differences in their composition compared to human milk. This is because the latter has many substances, such as immunoglobulins, free amino acids, polyamines, nucleotides, polyunsaturated fatty acids, etc, which are not present in cow's milk. Thus, it would be desirable that infant milk formulas have most of the substances present in human milk so as to produce the same physiological effects as human milk.

Nutritional products, such as those currently used in hospitals, special or for dietary purposes, are based on the utilization of diverse protein sources (casein, sodium and calcium caseinate, isolated soy protein, protein hydrolyzates and/or crystalline amino acids) mixtures of vegetable and animal fats, carbohydrates (basically glucose polymers), vitamins and minerals to meet, at least, the dietary intakes recommended for healthy individuals (Committee on Dietary Allowances, Food and Nutrition Board, Nat Acad Sci, 9th Ed, 1980).

Protein energy malnutrition (PEM) is found in many patients admitted to hospitals. This happens not only in developing countries, but also in those with a high socioeconomic level where the percentages of medical-surgical patients vary between 40-50% (Bistrian et al. JAMA, 235, 1567, 1976; G. Hill et al. Lancet, 1, 689, 1977; Gassull et al. Human Nutr: Clin Nutr, 38C, 419, 1984). Proper nutritional support for such patients, while not a primary mode of treatment is, nevertheless, an important factor for therapy and recovery. It is, therefore important to administer a nutritionally balanced diet given orally, enterally or parenterally, adequate to the needs of the patient. This is especially true for those patients where conventional feeding is contraindicated (gastroenterological patients) or is insufficient (hypercatabolic patients). The enteral or oral mode of administration of foods is preferably to parenteral modes (E. Cabre and M. A. Gassull, J. Clin Gastroenterol Nutr, 1, 97, 1986) because of the lower morbidity, trophic effect upon the intestinal mucose, lower necessity for instruments and lower costs.

Nutritional products for proper diets associated with parenteral administration should be formulated to meet the requirements of the individual needs in specific situations. Thus, complete balanced diets with an energy content between 130-150 Kcal/g nitrogen, are recommended for the preventive and repletive therapy in cases of PEM due to nervous anorexy, esophageal stenosis, maxillofacial surgery, chronic vasculo-cerebral disease, long evolution neurological syndromes, vascular surgery postoperative period, malabsorption syndromes, preoperative period, complete intestinal oclusion, preparation of colon (surgery, radiology and endoscopy) and, in general, in all cases when it is necessary to take a balanced diet of nutrients. Diets with a high content of nitrogen (80-120 Kcal/g nitrogen) are recommended for the nutritional therapy of burn patients or patients suffering cranial trauma, multiple trauma, open fractures, Crohn disease, ulcerous colitis, digestive fistula, sepsis, oncology surgery, oncological radiotherapy and chemotherapy, pre- and postoperative periods, orthopedic surgery, and, in general, for catabolic patients.

Diets containing protein hydrolyzates as a source of amino nitrogen are specially made for the nutritional support of patients with diverse malabsorption-malnutrition syndromes, such as short bowel, acute celiac disease, Crohn disease, chronic pancreatic insufficiency, cystic fibrosis, intestinal fistulas, postoperative nutrition, and the like.

Furthermore, such products can be made as specific clinical diets for specific diseases, such as hepatopathies, chronic renal disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

In addition, there is a variety of dietary products marketed to meet the nutritional needs of various individuals. For example, many individuals desirous of achieving verifying degrees of weight loss, may benefit from the use of a special nutrition diet formulations to provide specific nutrients otherwise provided by a normal diet. Likewise, many people find it necessary to supplement their daily diet with additional nutrients due to age, allergy or physical afflictions.

As used herein, the term "nutritionally balanced diet formulations" is intended to refer to the above type of products.

Currently marketed nutrition products do not contain nucleic acids or their simpler compounds, either nucleosides and/or nucleotides, which are normally present in foods and carry out fundamental physiological functions, described further on.

In relation to the nutritional importance of nucleotides, some relevant aspects of these compounds such as their content in human milk, physiological effects in newborns, intestinal absorption, tissue utilization and effects upon cell immunity are shown below.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,559 teaches that human milk has a specific nucleotide content, very different from cow's milk. Human milk contains, at least, twelve different nucleotides, predominating cytidine monophosphate (CMP), adenosine monophosphate (AMP), uridine monophosphate (UMP), guanosine monophosphate (GMP), inosine monophosphate (IMP) and uridine derivatives, whereas cow's milk has very low amounts of CMP and AMP; it lacks the other nucleotides and has high amounts of orotic acid, which is absent in human milk.

Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,559 teaches that a humanized milk enriched with nucleotides AMP, CMP, GMP, UMP and IMP in the same range as human milk, stimulates the development of Bifidobacterium bifidum Ti at the intestinal level. This bacterium comprises 80% of the total bifidobacteria present in the feces of breast-fed newborns. Furthermore, this humanized milk promotes serum fatty acid profile very similar to that found in newborns fed with human milk.

Ziro et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,231,385 describes infant milk formulas supplemented with certain nucleotides to simulate human milk, improve the milk taste and lower the curd tension.

Nucleotides can be synthesized in most tissues by two processes: a) de novo synthesis from the precursors which include pyrophosphoribosilphosphate, glutamine, aspartate, glycine, formiate and carbon dioxide and b) utilization of bases and the nucleosides liberated through the catabolism of nucleotides and nucleic acids contained in foods by the "salvage pathway" (S. Leleiko et al. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr, 2, 313, 1983). This last way is an important alternative in the synthesis of nucleotides when the biosynthetic de novo pathway is hindered by an insufficient supply of precursors. Tissues such as bone marrow, intestine and the liver are heavily dependent on the salvage pathway. The activity of the "salvage pathway" has also been shown demonstrated in kidney, brain and retina (P. Mandel, Traite de biochemie generale, Polonovski, Boulanger, Lemoigne, Wurmser, eds, Masson et Cie, Paris, 1972).

The intestinal mucosa needs a continuous supply of nucleotides or their precursors from dietary origin, apart from the hepatic supply by the vascular system, in order to maintain continuous synthesis of RNA.

It has been confirmed in cuts made in the small intestine of rats that the exogenous adenosine triphosphate (ATP) increases the intracellular concentration of this nucleotide and it has been observed that at temperatures over 20° C. the marked exogenous ATP is absorbed by everted sacs of rat small intestine (J. Bronk and H. Leese, J. Physiol. 235, 183, 1973; J. Blair, M. Lucas and A. Matty, J. Physiol., 245, 333, 1975). Also, it has been shown in rabbit's ileum "in vitro" that, at low concentrations, the ATP as well as the nucleoside adenosine are absorbed through a carrier associated to the enterocyte membrane.

Since the carrier system works for ATP and adenosine, it is likely that the system also works for other purine nucleotides, because competitive inhibition measures have proved that any compound with a purine ring united to a ribose molecule is absorbed. (V. Harms and C. Stirling, Am. J. Physiol., 233, E-47, 1977).

It has also been shown that the purines and pyrimidines in the RNA and DNA, present in the diet, are absorbed by mice, preferably as nucleosides. Between 2-5% of the nucleosides are used for nucleic acid synthesis in intestinal tissue, and citosine nucleosides are used for DNA synthesis, specially in the spleen (F. Sonoda, M. Tatibana, Biochem. Biophys. Acta, 521, 55, 1978).

It has also been shown that purine bases, such as adenine, guanine, hypoxanthine and xanthine are almost completely absorbed by rats, 4.5-6.5% being incorporated in tissues and in a greater proportion by the liver and intestine.

The absence of pyrimidine or purine derivatives in the diet is known to supress the normal function of T lymphocytes (F. Rudolph et al. Adv. Exp. Med. Biol, 165, 175, 1984), and to increase the mortality in experimental animals by staphylococcus sepsis. The addition of pyrimidine and purine derivatives to the diet decreases the suceptibility of animals to infection (A. Kulkarni et al, JPEN, 10, 169, 1986). Thus, the effect of purines and pyrimidines on the immune function can be of great importance in a number of clinic situations, such as transplants of organs in patients, malnutrition recovery, in diverse chemotherapeutic regimens and in the treatment of leukemias derived from T cells.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide improved nutritionally balanced diet formulations.

Another object of the present invention is to provide non-milk infant formulas which more closely resemble the human milk of nursing mothers and also exhibit enhanced properties.

Still yet a further object of the present invention is to provide improved milk based infant formulas which not only closely resemble human milk, but which are more readily absorbed by the infant gut and enhance the infant's immune response.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from the discussion which follows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a range of compositions of infant formulas and clinical nutrition products enriched with nucleosides, nucleotides or mixes of these two classes of compounds and the processes for their preparation. The products are in a liquid ready to eat form, or concentrated liquid or powder.

According to the invention, adenosine, guanosine, cytidine, inosine, and uridine or their mixes are used as nucleosides, and adenosine phosphate, guanosine phosphate, cytidine phosphate, inosine phosphate and uridine phosphate are used as nucleotides.

The term uridine phosphate, guanosine phosphate, etc, is intended herein to refer collectively to the mono, di and/or tri phosphates as well as the sugar derivatives of the nucleotides mentioned. However, for various reasons which will be apparent to those knowledgeable in the art, the 5'-monophosphates are preferred.

The supplementation of nucleosides and/or nucleotides or their mixes to infant formulas and nutrition balanced diet formulations gives a better physiological fatty acid tissue membrane composition to newborns and adult patients, an improved cell immunity and a better intestinal repair in those patients with intestinal diseases.

Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention provides for a nutritionally balanced diet formulation which comprises a source of amino nitrogen, carbohydrates, edible fats, minerals, vitamins and a nucleoside/nucleotide composition containing at least one of:

a) uridine, uridine phosphate or a mixture thereof;

b) guanosine, guanosine phosphate or a mixture thereof;

c) adenosine, adenosine phosphate or a mixture thereof;

d) cytidine, cytidine phosphate or a mixture thereof; or

e) inosine, inosine phosphate or a mixture thereof.

Thus, the formulation must contain at least one of the fifteen different possible components in an amount (based on 100 grams of dry product) equal to 1 mg.

Generally, the diet formulation will contain (on a dry weight basis per 100 g) from 1 to 300 mg of components selected from a), b), c), d) and e), with a preferred range being from about 50 to about 250 mg. The optimum amount appears to be about 150 mg per 100 grams product.

On a liquid basis, these ranges correspond to from about 0.2 to 60 mg/dl on a general basis, and preferably about 10 to about 50 mg/dl, with the optimum being about 30 mg/dl.

A further embodiment of our invention provides for improved non-milk infant formulas. Such non-milk formulas are well known and generally comprise carbohydrates, a source of amino acids, vegetable oils, minerals and vitamins. According to this embodiment of the invention, there is added to such formulas at least one of uridine, uridine phosphate or mixtures thereof; guanosine, guanosine phosphate or mixtures thereof; adenosine, adenosine phosphate or mixtures thereof; cytidine, cytidine phosphate or mixtures thereof; or inosine, inosine phosphate or mixtures thereof. As a minimum, at least about 0.27 mg per 100 g of product of one of the components should be added to the infant formula. Generally, the non-milk infant formulas according to the present invention require on a dry weight basis in mg per 100 grams of total weight approximaterly the following additives:

uridine and/or uridine phosphate. 17.40-1.86 mg;

guanosine and/or guanosine phosphate. 3.32-0.27 mg;

adenosine and/or adenosine phosphate. 9.50-4.25 mg;

cytidine and/or cytidine phosphate. 10-16-3.52 mg; and

inosine and/or inosine phosphate. 1.92-0.00 mg.

On a liquid basis, per dl, these formulation correspond as follows:

uridine and/or uridine phosphate. 2.62-0.28 mg;

guanosine and/or guanosine phosphate. 0.50-0.04 mg;

adenosine and/or adenosine phosphate. 1.43-0.64 mg;

cytidine and/or cytidine phosphate. 1.53-0.53 mg; and

inosine and/or inosine phosphate. 0.29-0.00 mg.

For reasons discussed more fully below, it may be desirable to add small amounts of L-cystine and/or carnitine to the non-milk based infant formulas.

As yet a further embodiment of our invention there is provided an improved infant milk formula to which is added at least one nucleoside selected from the group consisting of uridine, guanosine, adenosine, cytidine and inosine. The added nucleosides must be present in an amount about 0.27 mg per 100 grams total product on a dry basis. To provide for a closer simulation of human breast milk and also enhance absorption by the infant gut, there should be added to the infant milk formula the following ingredients for each 100 g of total weight:

uridine and/or uridine phosphate. 17.40-1.86 mg;

guanosine and/or guanosine phosphate. 3.32-0.27 mg;

adenosine and/or adenosine phosphate. 3.75-0.00 mg;

cytidine and/or cytidine phosphate. 4.58-0.00 mg; and

inosine and/or inosine phosphate. 1.92-0.00 mg.

This of course corresponds on a liquid basis (per dl) as follows:

uridine and/or uridine phosphate. 2.62-0.28 mg;

guanosine and/or guanosine phosphate. 0.50-0.04 mg;

adenosine and/or adenosine phosphate. 0.56-0.00 mg;

cytidine and/or cytidine phosphate. 0.69-0.00 mg; and

inosine and/or inosine phosphate. 0.29-0.00 mg.

Basically, infant formulas, according to the present invention have a composition adequate for meeting the requirements of low birth weight infants, at term infants and children with lactose intolerance.

The infants formulas and nutritionally balanced diet products of the present invention have been found to stimulate repair and regeneration of intestinal gut cells, enhance the immune response of T-cells and provide for specific fatty acid phospholipids profiles in red blood cell membranes.

The use of nucleosides herein is unique to the formulations of the present invention. These materials generally have been found to be at least as effective as their corresponding nucleotides, and even more effective in providing for enhanced absorption through use of the salvage pathway in the human body. This apparently may be due to the higher water solubility of nucleosides as compared to the corresponding nucleotides. Also, nucleoside stability when used in the formulations of this invention is greater than that of the corresponding nucleotides.

When the nucleosides and/or nucleotides or their combinations are added to infant formulas in concentrations in the same range as human milk, according to this invention, they stimulate the conversion of essential fatty acids to their polyunsaturated derivatives (AGPI), which is reflected in the fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membrane both in the at-term newborn and in the preterm newborn as well as in the fatty acids composition of plasma phospholipids.

In a study carried out by the inventors, 20 at-term newborns were fed exclusively on human milk, 19 with an infant formula and 19 with the same infant formula supplemented with nucleoside-5'-monophosphates according to this invention, in similar concentrations to those of human milk. The relative content of AGPI, of the w6 series, derived from linoleic acid, as well as w3 series, derived from linolenic acid, was significantly decreased, specially in phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine of the erythrocyte membrane in infants fed milk formula with respect to infants fed nucleoside-5'-monophosphates supplemented milk formula or human milk. The same happened in the plasma phospholipids and cholesteryl esters. The arachidonic (20:4w6) and docosahexaenoic (22:6w3) acids were the most increased fatty acids in infants fed nucleoside-5'-monophosphates supplemented milk formula, with respect to those fed milk formula.

In other study, 19 preterm infants were fed exclusively on human milk, 18 with an infant milk formula for prematures and 18 with the same milk formula supplemented with nucleosides-5'-monophosphates in concentrations similar to those of human milk, according to this invention. At one month of life, the relative contents of eicosatrienoic acid (20:3w6), arachidonic acid (20:4w6), docosatetraenoic acid (22:4w6) and docosapentaenoic acid (22:5w6) were significantly decreased in the erythrocyte membrane phospholipids in infants fed milk formula with respect to those fed nucleoside-5'-monophosphate supplemented milk formula or human milk. Also, infants fed nucleoside-5'-monophosphate supplemented milk formula showed an intermediate value of docosahexaenoic acid (22:6w3) between those fed human milk and those fed milk formula. The same results were observed in the plasma phospholipids of preterm newborns.

The modulating effect of nucleosides and nucleotides of the diet upon cell immunity has been proved through the following method:

Six groups of BALB/C mice, constituted by 10 mice each, aged four weeks, weaning period, were feed with a conventional diet (Chow diet), a nucleosides and nucleotides free diet, a diet supplemented with nucleosides according to this invention, in the following proportions 50 mg of uridine, 50 mg of guanosine, 50 mg of adensine, 50 mg of cytidine and 50 mg of inosine, a diet supplemented with nucleosides in proportions equivalent to mouse milk, a diet supplemented with 50 mg of the following nucleotides UMP, GMP, CMP, UMP according to this invention and a diet supplemented with nucleotides in proportions equivalent to mouse milk, respectively. The mice were feed during a period of four weeks, and with them we proceed with the testing of the cell immune response "in vitro" as response to allogeneic and syngenetic antigens using the lymphocyte mixed culture technique and quantifying the cell proliferation by the incorporation of ³ H-thymidine to DNA and secondly we proceed with the testing of the proliferation as response to phytohemaglutinin (mitogen agent) to quantify the state of lymphocyte reactivity, also with the incorporation of ³ H-thymidine.

The mice fed on the free nucleoside or nucleotide diets had an immune response mediated by T cells lower than the other groups having a diet supplemented with these compounds.

The mice fed on the free nucleoside or nucleotide diets had an immune response mediated by T cells lower than the other groups having a diet supplemented with these compounds.

The effect of nucleosides and nucleotides of the diet on the intestinal cell proliferation and on their enzymatic activity is proved as follows:

Two groups of Wistar mice, of 20 animals each, from the weaning (21 days of age), are fed during two weeks, the first of them on a diet (Diet A) containing 167 g of calcium caseinate, 489.5 of corn starch, 150 g of sugar, 50 g of cellulose, 100 g of soy oil, 3 g of DL-methionin, 1.1 g of coline chloride, 38.2 g of a mineral mixture and 1.2 g of a vitamin mixture, per Kg, to satisfy the nutritional requirements of these animals. The second group was fed with a similar diet, but with lactose instead of starch (Diet B). In this second group takes place an osmotic diarrhoea because of lactose intolerance giving rise to a malnutrition-malabsorption syndrome. Both groups are divided in two subgroups of 10 animals each, the first subgroup being fed on Diet A and the second with on Diet A supplemented with 50 mg of each of the following nucleosides: uridine, guanosine, adenosine, citidine and inosine, during 4 weeks or with 50 mg of each of the following nucleotides: UMP, GMP, AMP, CMP and IMP, according to this invention.

The animals suffering malabsorption syndrome refed on the nucleoside or nucleotide supplemented diet, according to the invention, had ileal, jejunal and duodenal mucose weights significantly superior to those fed on a diet without such compounds. Also, the proportion of cells in a mitosis state, the mucose proteins content and the maltase and sucrase enzymatic activities were significantly higher in animals fed on the nucleoside or nucleotide supplemented diet than in those fed on a free purine and pyrimidine diet.

Basic ingredients for infant formulas include cow's milk, protein, whey proteins, casein and its salts (i.e. calcium caseinate); soy protein isolates are substituted for milk derived proteins, and are used in the products made for infants with lactose intolerance and/or cow's protein intolerance. Protein hydrolyzates (i.e. casein and lactalbumin hydrolyzates) with low molecular weight, may also be used for the products

The proportions of the diverse component nutrients are similar to those of human milk. Thus, the ratio of whey proteins to casein currently varies from 60:40 to 70:30 in infant formulas based on milk. The mixture of fats employed is made up of edible fats to provide an essential fatty acid profile. Lactose is used exclusively as the carbohydrate source for at-term newborns infants, except that dextrinmaltose is employed in products used for the treatment of lactose intolerance and malabsorption syndromes in infancy.

Infant formulas according to the invention contain minerals (including calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese and iodine) and vitamins (including vitamin A, vitamin D₃, vitamin C, vitamin B₁, vitamin B₂, vitamin B₆, vitamin B₁₂, pantothenic acid, vitamin E, vitamin K₁, folic acid, biotin) adequate for the infants' requirements. Also, in the products whose source of proteins is derived from soy or protein isolates or hydrolyzates, carnitine is included to satisfy the nutritional requirements for this compound in infants with malabsorptive syndromes.

The inventors of the present compositions and processes have demonstrated that the amounts of citosine, adenine, guanine, uracil and inosine derivatives in human milk vary between 1.53-0.54, 1.43-0.69, 0.50, 2.62 and 0.29-0.00 mg/dl respectively and the individual contents of CMP, AMP, GMP, UMP and IMP osciallate between 1.37-0.53, 1.19-0.64, 0.21-0.04, 0.56-0.28, 0.29-0.00 mg/dl, respectively.

The content of nucleosides and/or nucleotides in the infant formulas of the present invention are in the range of those for human milk. An examplary nucleoside and/or nucleotide mixture for infant formulas not containing cow's milk, according to the invention, is shown in Table I.

The amounts of adenosine and/or adenosine phosphate and cytidine and/or cytidine phosphate, inosine and/or inosine phosphate added to cow's milk based infant formulas, according to this invention, are lower than those shown in Table I, because cow's milk contains specific amounts of nucleosides and nucleotides.

In Table II an examplary mixture of nucleosides and/or nucleotides for infant milk formulas containing cow's milk is shown.

The dietary products for balanced nutrition, according to the present invention, have a composition of nutrients adequate to the specific requirements of not only healthy human in need of a balanced nutritional product, but also those individuals in situations of energy-protein malnutrition and in hypercatabolic states derived from traumatic, septic, surgical processes and malabsorption syndromes.

As nitrogenous sources, the following components are preferably employed: a mixture of dairy proteins (casein or sodium and calcium caseinates and lactose free lactalbumin) and protein hydrolyzates with low molecular weight (maximum molecular weight 1,000 daltons, average molecular weight, 500 daltons). As carbohydrate sources, glucose polymers are employed, such as dextrinmaltose with a different grade of dextrose equivalent degree, preferably between 10 and 30 DE. Fats are employed as a mixture of animal and one or more vegetable fats to meet the essential fatty acids requirements of patients.

Nutritional products according to the present invention provide mineral elements which include trace elements and vitamins in adequate proportions to satisfy the specific requirements of normal healthy individuals as well as those suffering malabsorption-malnutrition processes and in a hypercatabolic state.

The nutritional products are enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides in similar amounts of nucleotides to those present in foods.

An example of a nucleoside and/or nucleotide mixture for the enrichment of nutritional products is shown in Table III. On a dry weight basis, the amount of nucleosides and/or nucleotides may each vary from about 1 to about 300 mg per 100 grams of product, and preferably each ranges from about 50 to about 250 mg per 100 grams of product. On a liquid basis the amount may vary per deciliter of product from about 0.2 to about 60 mg of each nucleoside and/or nucleotide, and preferably ranges from about 10 to about 50 mg.

                                      TABLE I                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Example of a characteristic mixture of nucleosides and/or nucleotides in       infant formulas, not containing cow's milk.                                                       Powdered product                                                                          Liquid product                                                      Preferred                                                                           Range Preferred                                                                           Range                                                          mg/100 g                                                                            mg/100 g                                                                             mg/dl                                                                               mg/dl                                       __________________________________________________________________________     Uridine and/or uridine phosphate                                                                  3.42 17.40-1.86                                                                           0.51 2.62-0.28                                   Guanosine and/or guanosine phosphate                                                              1.49  3.32-0.27                                                                           0.22 0.50-0.04                                   Adenosine and/or adenosine phosphate                                                              6.90  9.50-4.25                                                                           1.03 1.43-0.64                                   Cytidine and/or cytidine phosphate                                                                6.87 10.16-3.52                                                                           1.03 1.53-0.53                                   Inosine and/or inosine phosphate                                                                  1.00  1.92-0.00                                                                           0.15 0.29-0.00                                   __________________________________________________________________________

                  TABLE II                                                         ______________________________________                                         Example of a characteristic mixture of nucleosides and/or                      nucleotides in infant formulas based on cow's milk.                                               Powdered                                                                               Liquid                                                                 product product                                                                Range   Range                                                                  mg/100 g                                                                               mg/dl                                               ______________________________________                                         Uridine and/or uridine phosphate                                                                    17.40-1.86                                                                               2.62-0.28                                       Guanosine and/or guanosine phosphate                                                                3.32-0.27 0.50-0.04                                       Adenosine and/or adenosine phosphate                                                                3.75-0.00 0.56-0.00                                       Cytidine and/or cytidine phosphate                                                                  4.58-0.00 0.69-0.00                                       Inosine and/or inosine phosphate                                                                    1.92-0.00 0.29-0.00                                       ______________________________________                                    

                                      TABLE III                                    __________________________________________________________________________     Example of a characteristic mixture of nucleosides and/or nucleotides in       nutritionally balanced diets.                                                                     Powdered product                                                                          Liquid product                                                      Preferred                                                                           Range Preferred                                                                           Range                                                          mg/100 g                                                                            mg/100 mg                                                                            mg/dl                                                                               mg/dl                                       __________________________________________________________________________     Uridine and/or uridine phosphate                                                                  150  1-300 30   0.2-60                                      Guanosine and/or guanosine phosphate                                                              150  1-300 30   0.2-60                                      Adenosine and/or adenosine phosphate                                                              150  1-300 30   0.2-60                                      Cytidine and/or cytidine phosphate                                                                150  1-300 30   0.2-60                                      Inosine and/or inosine phosphate                                                                  150  1-300 30   0.2-60                                      __________________________________________________________________________

The invention also includes the process to obtain infant formulas, as well as specific diets to be used in good nutrition, enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides (FIG. 1 to 4). The products can be prepared in liquid, ready to be used, concentrated to be diluted in water before its use, and in powder forms.

This process comprises, in all cases, the preparation of a mixture containing water and non fat solids, except vitamins, minerals and nucleosides and/or nucleotides, followed by a preheating to 75°-80° C., deareation of the mixture, injection of the fat mixture, double homogenization at 70°-75° C. (usually 150 Kg/cm² in the first stage and 50 Kg/cm² in the second) cooling to 4°-6° C. and storage in standardization tanks.

The liquid products ready for consumption or concentrates to be diluted before use, are standardized in the said tanks, adapting the pH to values generally ranging from about 6.8 to about 7.1 and most preferably ranging from about 6.8 to 7.0 for infant formulas and from about 6.9 to 7.1 for nutritional products.

When the products are going to be UHT sterilized and aseptically packed in containers made of carton-aluminium-polyethylene, during the standardization, the vitamins, mineral and nucleotides or nucleosides mixtures are added as concentrated aqueous solutions and the content of mineral elements is adjusted by adding the required salts. The nucleoside and/or nucleotide solutions should be maintained preferably at pH 6-6.5 to avoid them to hydrolyze.

Once standardized, the products for consumption in liquid or concentrated forms, are sterilized through an UHT system at 145°-150° C. for 2-4 seconds and can be either aseptically packed or bottled in glass or polyethylene bottles. In the latter case, products are standardized prior to the UHT sterilization, only in their solids contents, and the pH is adjusted to values equivalents as noted above; immediately after they are sterilized, refrigerated at 4°-6° C. and stored in standardization tanks, the vitamins, minerals and the nucleoside and/or nucleotide solutions are added; afterwards the products are reheated at 30°-70° C., packed in polyethylene or glass bottles, and sterilized in a continuous sterilizer at 120°-121° C. for 10 minutes.

In the case of powder products, after the phase of concentrated solids recombination, preheating, deareation, fat mixture injection, homogenization, refrigeration, final pH standardization, concentration and addition of vitamins, minerals nucleosides and/or nucleotides, the mixture is reheated to 65°-70° C., homogenized at 100-150 Kg/cm² and dried in a spray drier. Afterwards, the powdered product is packed in polyethylene-aluminium containers or in cans, internally coated with varnish, under inert atmosphere, or in other acceptable containers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 to 3 are block diagrams illustrating the stages of the process for the preparation of the products of the invention when packaged aseptically, in bottles or in powder form.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the plant manufacturing process for preparing products of the present invention.

With reference to FIG. 1, there is depicted a process for the preparation and aseptic packaging of a liquid infant formula or a liquid nutritionally balanced diet formulation comprising a composition as set forth above, said process comprising the steps of:

a) mixing water and non-fat solids of said composition in the absence of any vitamins, nucleosides and nucleotides;

b) preheating the mixture to a temperature ranging from about 75° to about 80° C. and then deareating the heated mixture followed by adding any fats in the composition to the deareated mixture;

c) homogenizing the mixture under pressure followed by cooling;

d) standardizing the mixture by addition of any vitamins, minerals, nucleosides, nucleotides and other components not added in step a), and adjusting the pH in the range of about 6.8 to about 7.1;

e) UHT sterilizing the standardized mixture and subsequently homogenizing the mixture under pressure;

f) cooling the homogenized mixture and aseptically packaging same.

With reference to FIG. 2, there is depicted a process for the preparation and bottling of a liquid infant formula or a liquid nutritionally balanced diet formulation comprising a composition as set forth above, said process comprising the steps of:

a) mixing water and non-fat solids of said composition in the absence of any vitamins, nucleosides and nucleotides;

b) preheating the mixture to a temperature ranging from about 75° to about 80° C. and then deareating the heated mixture followed by adding any fats in the composition to the deareated mixture;

c) homogenizing the mixture under pressure followed by cooling;

d) adjust the pH of the mixture in the range of about 6.8 to about 7.1, followed by UHT sterilization;

e) standardizing the UHT sterilized mixture by the addition of any vitamins, minerals, nucleosides, nucleotides and other components not added in step a) and reheating the standardized mixture to a temperature ranging from about 30° C. to about 70° C. and bottling the heated mixture;

d) sterilizing the bottled mixture a second time to obtain a final bottled product in liquid form.

With reference to FIG. 3, there is depicted a process for the preparation in powder form of an infant formula or a nutritionally balanced diet formulation comprising a composition as set forth above said process comprising the steps of:

a) mixing water and non-fat solids of said composition in the absence of any vitamins, nucleosides and nucleotides;

b) preheating the mixture to a temperature ranging from about 75° to about 80° C. and then deareating the heated mixture followed by adding any fats in the composition to the deareated mixture;

c) homogenizing the mixture under pressure followed by cooling;

d) standardizing the mixture by addition of any vitamins, minerals, nucleosides, nucleotides and other components not added in step a), and adjusting the pH in the range of about 6.8 to about 7.1;

e) reheating the standardized mixture to between about 65° C. and 70° C.;

f) homogenizing the reheated mixture and drying the homogenized mixture in a spray drier to obtain a final dry powder product; and

g) packaging the dry powder product.

Referring to FIG. 4, the process is described in more detail below:

Through the plate heat exchanger 1, deionized water is fed to storage tanks 2, at a temperature between 60°-70° C. Through the centrifugal pump 3 and tri-blender 4 non fat solids (proteins, carbohydrates and some minerals) are dissolved being maintained the temperature at 60°-65° C. by means of a plate heat exchanger 5.

The resulting mixture is fed through positive pump 6 to filters 7 and plate heat exchanger 8 to be heated to 75°-80° C. for 15-20 s to get the product pasteurized; being immediately deaerated in a vacuum deaerator 9, lowering the temperature to 70°-75° C. Afterwards, the deaerated product is fed through centrifugal pump 10 and mixed with fat through fat injector 15. The mixture of fats stored in tank 12 has been fed through positive pump 13 to plate heat exchanger 14 to be heated at 70°-75° C. before reaching fat inyector 15. A retention valve 11 prevents the product which contains the non fat solids and fat to go back to the deaerator.

Immediately after fats are mixed to the non fat solids mixture, the product is homogenized at 16 and a temperature of about 70°-75° C. and 200-300 Kg/cm² of total pressure, preferably in two stages (1st 150-200 Kg/cm², 2nd 50-100 Kg/cm²).

For liquid products which are to be aseptically packaged, after homogenization 16, they are cooled to 4° to 6° C. in plate heat exchanger 17 and fed to isothermal standardizing tanks 18 where the pH is adjusted to from about 6.8 to about 7.1 depending on the product desired. Vitamins, minerals, nucleotides and/or nucleosides in the required amounts are fed to 18 and the resulting mixture is fed by pumps 19 and 20 to a UHT sterilizer 21 which is at 145°-150° C., homogenized in 22 (preferably in a double stage at 80° C. and 200-250 Kg/cm²), then is cooled to 20° to 25° in heat exchanger 23 and aseptically packaged in 36. The packing is preferably brick type of cardboard, paperboard, aluminium and polyethylene.

For liquid products which are to be bottled, the process is the same as above through the cooling treatment 17. Then the pH is adjusted in tanks 18 to above noted values. The mixture is fed by pumps 19 and 20 for UHT sterilization at 21 and homogenization at 22. The sterilized mixture is cooled 23 and fed directly to standardizing tanks 32 where vitamins, minerals, nucleosides and/or nucleotides as required are added. From tanks 32, and by means of pump 33, the mixture is fed to reheater 34 where the temperature is raised to about 30° C. (for polyethylene bottles) to 70° C. (for glass bottles). The mixture is bottled in a filling machine 35 and subjected to sterilization 37 at a temperature of about 120°-121° C. for about 10 to 15 minutes to give a bottled product.

For powder products, the process is the same as first described above through homogenization 16. As shown by the dotted line, the product is fed to heat exchanger 24 and cooled to about 4° to about 6° C. and fed to isothermal standardizing tanks 25, where the pH is adjusted and the required vitamins, minerals, nucleosides and/or nucleotides are added. Then the standardized product is pumped 26 through filters 27 and fed to reheater 28 where the temperature is raised to about 65° to about 70° C., and then finally filtered 29 and homogenized 30 under a pressure of about 100-200 Kg/cm². The homogenized product is fed to a drying tower 31, spray dried and collected for packaging.

EXAMPLES

The invention is illustrated with the following examples, which are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

EXAMPLE I

This example provides a product made to feed preterm and low-birth weight infants, enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides and according to the invention. Basically, the product is a mixture of cow'milk, demineralized serum proteins, dextrinmaltose, fat mixture, mineral, vitamins and nucleosides and/or nucleotides mixture.

The product has been adapted in the protein, fat carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins contents to the ESPGAN and AAP international recommendations as related to the feeding of low-birth weight infants (ESPGAN, Committee on Nutrition, Acta Paediatr. Scand., 1987 (in press); AAP, Committe on Nutrition, Pediatrics, 1985).

                  TABLE IV                                                         ______________________________________                                         EXAMPLE I                                                                      ADAPTED MILK FORMULA FOR PRETERM INFANTS                                                           For 100 g                                                                              For 100 ml                                                             of powder                                                                              of liquid                                          ______________________________________                                         Ingredients                                                                    Water                  --       85%                                            Maltodextrines         28.91%   4.33%                                          Vegetab1e oil mixture  20.23%   3.03%                                          Skim milk (0.05% M.G.) 14.58%   2.19%                                          Lactalbumin            12.13%   1.82%                                          Lactose                11.92%   1.79%                                          Butterfat              6.45%    0.97%                                          Minerals**             3.26%    0.49%                                          Calcium caseinate      1.97%    0.296%                                         Lecithin               0.41%    0.061%                                         Vitamins***            0.12%    0.018%                                         Nucleosides and/or nucleotides*                                                                       0.0078%  0.0012%                                        Ascorbile palmitate    0.006%   0.0009%                                        DL-α Tocopherol  0.001%   0.0001%                                        *Nucleosides and/or nucleotides added                                          Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate                                                                  3.42   mg    515  μg                                 Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate                                                              1.49   mg    225  μg                                 Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate                                                              1.32   mg    200  μg                                 Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate                                                                1.12   mg    170  μg                                 Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate                                                                  0.45   mg    70   μg                                 **Mineral salts added                                                          Calcium lactate        1.74   g     0.26 g                                     Sodium phosphate dibasic                                                                              0.65   g     97   mg                                    Calcium phosphate      0.36   g     54   mg                                    Potasium chloride      0.23   g     34   mg                                    Potassium phosphate dibasic                                                                           0.17   g     26   mg                                    Ferrous lactate        51.7   mg    7.6  mg                                    Magnesic sulfate       49     mg    7.3  mg                                    Zinc sulfate           7.3    mg    1.1  mg                                    Cupric sulfate         1.9    mg    285  μg                                 Sodium fluoride        1.5    mg    225  μg                                 Potassium and chromiun sulfate                                                                        510    μg 76   μg                                 Sodium molybdate       265    μg 40   μg                                 Sodium selenite        180    μg 27   μg                                 Manganese sulfate      83     μg 12   μg                                 Potassium iodine       64     μg 10   μg                                 ***Vitamins added                                                              Vitamin A              1.600  UI    240  UI                                    Vitamin D              600    UI    90   UI                                    Vitamin E              5.5    mg    825  μg                                 Vitamin K              60     μg 9    μg                                 Tiamin                 0.4    mg    60   μg                                 Riboflavin             0.45   mg    67   μg                                 Piridoxin              0.25   mg    37   μg                                 Niacin                 6.7    mg    1    mg                                    Calcium pantothenate   5.5    mg    825  μg                                 Vitamin B.sub.12       1.1    μg 0.16 μg                                 Biotin                 15     μg 2.2  μg                                 Folic acid             350    μg 52   μg                                 Vitamin C              100    mg    15   mg                                    ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE II

This example provides a milk formula made to feed at-term infants, during the first year of life, preferably for the 6 first months of lactation, suplemented with nucleosides and/or nucleotides in similar concentrations to those of human milk, according to the invention.

The product has been adapted in its composition and content of nutrients to the ESPGAN and AAP international recommendations for this kind of infants (ESPGAN. Committee on Nutrition, Acta Paediatr. Scand., supl. 262, 1977; AAP, Committe on Nutrition, Pediatric Nutrition Handbook, 1979)

                                      TABLE V                                      __________________________________________________________________________     EXAMPLE II                                                                     ADAPTED INFANT MILK FORMULA                                                                         For 100 g                                                                              For 100 ml                                        Ingredients          of powder                                                                              of liquid                                         __________________________________________________________________________     Water                --      87%                                               Lactose              42.61%  5.54%                                             Powdered milk (26% MG)                                                                              25.47%  3.31%                                             Vegetable oils       13.37%  1.74%                                             Demineralized whey (65% of proteins)                                                                9.28%   1.21%                                             Butterfat            7.77%   1.01%                                             Minerals salts*      1.11%   0.14%                                             Lecithin             0.31%   0.04%                                             Vitamins**           0.069%  0.009%                                            Nucleosides and/or nucleotides***                                                                   0.0078% 0.001%                                            DL-α tocopherol                                                                               0.003%  0.0004%                                           Ascorbile palmitate  0.001%  0.0001%                                           *Mineral salts added                                                           Tripotassium citrate 0.35                                                                               g   45  mg                                            Tricalcium citrate   0.1 g   40  mg                                            Dibasic potassium phosphate                                                                         0.24                                                                               g   31  mg                                            Calcium chloride     0.16                                                                               g   21  mg                                            Ferrous lactate      39  mg  5.1 mg                                            Zinc acetate         8.5 mg  1.1 mg                                            Cupric sulfate       1.10                                                                               mg  143 μg                                         Manganese sulfate    155 μg                                                                              20  μg                                         Potassium iodine     65  μg                                                                              8.4 μg                                         **Vitamins added                                                               Vitamin C            50  mg  6.5 mg                                            Nicotinamide         6.7 mg  870 μg                                         Vitamin E            5.5 mg  715 μg                                         Calcium pantothenate 5.5 mg  715 μg                                         Vitamin A            1.600                                                                              UI  208 UI                                            Vitamin B.sub.2      450 μg                                                                              58  μg                                         Vitamin B.sub.1      400 μg                                                                              52  μg                                         Vitamin B.sub.6      300 μg                                                                              39  μg                                         Vitamin K.sub.1      60  μg                                                                              7.8 μg                                         Folic acid           25  μg                                                                              3.2 μg                                         Biotin               15  μg                                                                              1.9 μg                                         Vitamin D.sub.3      300 UI  39  UI                                            Vitamin B.sub.12     1.1 μg                                                                              0.14                                                                               μg                                         ***Nucleosides and/or nucleotides added                                        Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate                                                                3.42                                                                               mg  445 μg                                         Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate                                                            1.49                                                                               mg  195 μg                                         Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate                                                            1.32                                                                               mg  170 μg                                         Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate                                                              1.12                                                                               mg  145 μg                                         Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate                                                                0.45                                                                               mg  58  μg                                         __________________________________________________________________________

EXAMPLE III

This example provides an infant milk formula made to feed healthy infants from 4-5 months to one year of life, supplemented with nucleosides and/or nucleotides, according to the invention. The product has been adapted in its composition and content of nutrients to the ESPGAN recommendations for these infants ESPGAN, Committee on Nutrition, Acta Paediatr. Scan. supl. 287, 1981).

                                      TABLE VI                                     __________________________________________________________________________     EXAMPLE III                                                                    INFANT ADAPTED FOLLOW-UP MILK FORMULA                                                               For 100 g                                                                              For 100 ml                                        Ingredients          of powder                                                                              of liquid                                         __________________________________________________________________________     Water                --      85%                                               Full milk            46.61%  6.99%                                             Maltodextrines       23.18%  3.48%                                             Lactose              19.28%  2.89%                                             Vegetable oils       6.08%   0.91%                                             Demineralized whey   4.22%   0.63%                                             Mineral salts*       0.41%   0.061%                                            Lecithin             0.14%   0.021%                                            Vitamins**           0.069%  0.01%                                             Nucleosides and/or nucleotides***                                                                   0.0078% 0.0012%                                           DL-αtocopherol 0.003%  0.0004%                                           Ascorbile palmitate  0.001%  0.0001%                                           *Mineral salts added                                                           Monocalcium phosphate                                                                               0.36 g  54   mg                                           Ferrous lactate      39   mg 5.8  mg                                           Zinc acetate         8.5  mg 1.3  mg                                           Cupric sulfate       1.1  mg 165  μg                                        Manganese sulfate    155  μg                                                                             23   μg                                        Potassium iodine     65   μg                                                                             9.7  μg                                        **Vitamins added                                                               As in Example II.                                                              ***Nucleosides and/or nucleotides added                                        Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate                                                                3.42 mg 515  μg                                        Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate                                                            1.49 mg 225  μg                                        Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate                                                            1.32 mg 200  μg                                        Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate                                                              1.12 mg 170  μg                                        Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate                                                                0.45 mg 70   μg                                        __________________________________________________________________________

EXAMPLE IV

This example provides a lactose free infant formula, containing protein from milk origin, supplemented with nucleosides and/or nucleotides in the same quantitites as in human milk, according to this invention.

The product has been adapted in its composition and content of nutrients to the international recommendations mentioned before.

                                      TABLE VII                                    __________________________________________________________________________     EXAMPLE IV                                                                     LACTOSE FREE ADAPTED INFANT MILK FORMULA                                       CONTAINING COW'S PROTEIN                                                                            For 100 g                                                                              For 100 ml                                        Ingredients          of powder                                                                              of liquid                                         __________________________________________________________________________     Water                --      85%                                               Dextrinemaltose      58.03%  8.7%                                              Calcium caseinate (supplemented                                                                     16.7%   2.51%                                             with L-cistine)                                                                Butterfat            11.96%  1.79%                                             Vegetable oils       10.35%  1.55%                                             Mineral salts*       2.18%   0.33%                                             Lecithin             0.69%   0.103%                                            Vitamins**           0.069%  0.01%                                             Carnitine            0.0089% 0.0013%                                           Nucleosides and/or nucleotides***                                                                   0.0078% 0.0012%                                           DL-α tocopherol                                                                               0.003%  0.0004%                                           Ascorbile palmitate  0.001%  0.0001%                                           *Mineral salts added                                                           Dibasic potassium phosphate                                                                         588  mg 88   mg                                           Tripotassium citrate 522  mg 78   mg                                           Calcium lactate      272  mg 41   mg                                           Sodium chloride      389  mg 58   mg                                           Magnesium chloride   260  mg 39   mg                                           Calcium chloride     90   mg 13.5 mg                                           Ferrous lactate      48   mg 7.2  mg                                           Zinc acetate         11.2 mg 1.7  mg                                           Cupric sulfate       1.15 mg 0.17 mg                                           Manganese sulfate    107  μg                                                                             16   μg                                        Potassium iodine     65   μg                                                                             9.7  μg                                        **Vitamins added                                                               As in Example II.                                                              ***Nucleosides and/or nucleotides and other substances added                   Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate                                                                3.42 mg 515  μg                                        Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate                                                            1.49 mg 225  μg                                        Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate                                                            3.32 mg 500  μg                                        Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate                                                              4.98 mg 750  μg                                        Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate                                                                1.00 mg 150  μg                                        L-cistine            0.1  g  15   μg                                        Carnitine            8.9  mg 1.3  mg                                           __________________________________________________________________________

EXAMPLE V

This example provides a lactose free adapted infant formula containing a protein isolate from vegetal origin, supplemented with nucleosides and/or nucleotides, according to this invention.

The product has been adapted, as in example IV, in its composition and content of nutrients to the suckling children and newborns.

                                      TABLE VIII                                   __________________________________________________________________________     EXAMPLE V                                                                      LACTOSE-FREE ADAPTED INFANT FORMULA                                            CONTAINING VEGETAL PROTEIN                                                                          For 100 g                                                                              For 100 ml                                        Ingredients          of powder                                                                              of liquid                                         __________________________________________________________________________     Water                --      85%                                               Dextrinemaltose      57.20%  8.58%                                             Soy protein isolate  16.67%  2.5%                                              Butterfat            11.96%  1.79%                                             Vegetable oils       10.35%  1.55%                                             Mineral salts*       3.04%   0.46%                                             Lecithin             0.69%   0.103%                                            Vitamins**           0.069%  0.01%                                             Carnitine            0.0089% 0.0013%                                           Nucleosides and/or nucleotides***                                                                   0.0078% 0.0012%                                           DL-α tocopherol                                                                               0.003%  0.0004%                                           Ascorbile palmitate  0.001%  0.0001%                                           *Mineral salts added                                                           Dibasic potassium phosphate                                                                         450  mg 67.5 mg                                           Tripotassium citrate 628  mg 94.2 mg                                           Calcium chloride     370  mg 55.5 mg                                           Calcium carbonate    400  mg 60   mg                                           Magnesium chloride   260  mg 39   mg                                           Calcium lactate      873  mg 131  mg                                           Ferrous lactate      48   mg 7.2  mg                                           Zinc acetate         11.2 mg 1.7  mg                                           Cupric sulfate       1.18 mg 0.18 mg                                           Magnesium sulfate    107  μg                                                                             25   μg                                        Potassium iodine     65   μg                                                                             9.7  μg                                        **Vitamins added                                                               As in Example II.                                                              ***Nucleosides and/or nucleotides and other substances added                   Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate                                                                3.42 mg 515  μg                                        Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate                                                            1.49 mg 225  μg                                        Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate                                                            3.32 mg 500  μg                                        Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate                                                              4.98 mg 750  μg                                        Inosine monophosphate or inosine                                                                    1.00 mg 150  μg                                        Carnitine            8.9  mg 1.3  μg                                        __________________________________________________________________________

EXAMPLE VI

This example provides a lactose-free infant formula which contains a mixture of lactalbumin and casein hydrolizates with a low molecular weight, supplemented with nucleosides and/or nucleosides, as specified in the invention.

The composition and content of nutrients are adapted to the suckling children and newborns' requirements, as in examples IV and V.

                                      TABLE IX                                     __________________________________________________________________________     EXAMPLE VI                                                                     HYPOALERGENIC ADAPTED INFANT FORMULA                                                                For 100 g                                                                              For 100 ml                                        Ingredients          of powder                                                                              of liquid                                         __________________________________________________________________________     Water                --      85%                                               Maltodextrines       52.48%  7.87%                                             Vegetable oil mixtures                                                                              16.98%  2.55%                                             Lactalbumin enzymatic hydrolyzate                                                                   12.31%  1.85%                                             Casein enzymatic hydrolyzate                                                                        5.16%   0.77%                                             Corn starch          4.87%   0.73%                                             Butterfat            4.29%   0.64%                                             Minerals**           3.19%   0.48%                                             Emulsifier           0.60%   0.09%                                             Vitamins***          0.069%  0.01%                                             Lecithin             0.0231% 0.0035%                                           Carnitine            0.0089% 0.0013%                                           Nucleosides and/or nucleotides*                                                                     0.0078% 0.0012%                                           DL-α Tocopherol                                                                               0.0038% 0.0006%                                           Ascorbile palmitate  0.0015% 0.0002%                                           *Nucleosides and/or nucleotides and other substances added                     Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate                                                                3.42 mg 515  μg                                        Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate                                                            1.49 mg 225  μg                                        Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate                                                            3.32 mg 500  μg                                        Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate                                                              4.98 mg 750  μg                                        Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate                                                                1.00 mg 150  μg                                        Carnitine            8.9  mg 1.3  mg                                           **Mineral salts added                                                          Calcium phosphate    0.86 g  0.13 g                                            Tripotassium citrate 0.85 g  0.13 g                                            Calcium chloride     0.49 g  73   mg                                           Sodium phosphate dibasic                                                                            0.38 g  57   mg                                           Potassium chloride   0.24 g  36   mg                                           Magnesium sulfate    0.20 g  30   mg                                           Potassium phosphate dibasic                                                                         0.12 g  18   mg                                           Ferrous lactate      39   mg 5.8  mg                                           Zinc acetate         10   mg 1.5  mg                                           Cupric sulfate       2.2  mg 330  μg                                        Sodium fluoride      310  μg                                                                             46.5 μg                                        Manganese sulfate    307  μg                                                                             46   μg                                        Potassium chromium sulfate                                                                          115  μg                                                                             17   μg                                        Sodium molybdate     83   μg                                                                             12   μg                                        Potassium iodine     65   μg                                                                             9.7  μg                                        Sodium selenite      37   μg                                                                             5.5  μg                                        ***Vitamins added                                                              As in Example II.                                                              __________________________________________________________________________

The products in examples IV, V and VI contain carnitine in similar concentration to that found in human milk, to satisfy the newborns requirements of this compound.

The products in examples I to VI are presented as liquid products, ready to use, as liquid concentrate products, to be used with the addition of water and as powdered products.

EXAMPLE VII

Example VII provides a complete product and nutritionally balanced to be used in clinical nutrition orally or by feeding tubes, with an energy ratio of 146 Kcal/g nitrogen, enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides in agreement with the invention.

The composition and content of nutrients have been adapted to the specific nutritional requirements of ill adults suffering energy-protein malnutrition.

                                      TABLE X                                      __________________________________________________________________________     EXAMPLE VII                                                                    NORMOPROTEIN DIET FOR USE IN CLINICAL NUTRITION                                                     For 100 g                                                                              For 100 ml                                        COMPOSITION          of powder                                                                              of liquid                                         __________________________________________________________________________     Water                --       78.7%                                            Maltodextrines       52.13%  11.2%                                             Vegetable oils       12.1%   2.5%                                              Lactalbumin          11.63%  2.48%                                             Calcium caseinate    10.05%  2.14%                                             Butterfat            8.84%   1.88%                                             Minerals*            3.79%   0.79%                                             Nucleosides and/or nucleotides***                                                                   0.75%   0.15%                                             Soy lecithin         0.66    --                                                Emulsifier           --      0.136%                                            Stabilizer           --      0.02%                                             Vitamins**           0.026%  0.005%                                            Ascorbile palmitate  0.0232% 0.0008%                                           DL-α Tocopherol                                                                               0.0008% 0.0002%                                           *Mineral salts added                                                           Sodium phosphate dibasic                                                                            1.1  g  270  mg                                           Potassium chloride   0.99 g  210  mg                                           Magnesium sulfate    1.014                                                                               g  203  mg                                           Calcium chloride     0.31 g  58   mg                                           Potassium phosphate dibasic                                                                         0.28 g  34   mg                                           Sodium chloride      50   mg 6    mg                                           Ferrous lactate      21   mg 4    mg                                           Zinc acetate         14   mg 3    mg                                           Manganese sulfate    4    mg 760  μg                                        Cupric sulfate       3    mg 640  μg                                        Sodium fluoride      2.2  mg 442  μg                                        Potassium chromium sulfate                                                                          480  μg                                                                             96   μg                                        Sodium molybdate     315  μg                                                                             63   μg                                        Sodium selenite      166  μg                                                                             33   μg                                        Potassium iodine     49   μg                                                                             10   μg                                        **Vitamins added                                                               Vitamin C            15   mg 3    mg                                           Niacin               4.75 mg 0.95 mg                                           Vitamin E (mg. -TE)  2.5  mg 0.5  mg                                           Pantothenic acid     1.75 mg 0.35 mg                                           Vitamin B.sub.6      550  μg                                                                             110  μg                                        Vitamin B.sub.2      425  μg                                                                             85   μg                                        Vitamin B.sub.1      375  μg                                                                             75   μg                                        Vitamin A (mg Re)    250  μg                                                                             50   μg                                        Folate               100  μg                                                                             20   μg                                        Biotin               50   μg                                                                             10   μg                                        Vitamin K.sub.1      35   μg                                                                             7    μg                                        Vitamin D            2.5  μg                                                                             0.5  μg                                        Vitamin B.sub.12     0.75 μg                                                                             0.15 μg                                        ***Nucleosides and/or nucleotides added                                        Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate                                                            150  mg 30   mg                                           Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate                                                              150  mg 30   mg                                           Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate                                                            150  mg 30   mg                                           Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate                                                                150  mg 30   mg                                           Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate                                                                150  mg 30   mg                                           __________________________________________________________________________

EXAMPLE VIII

This example provides a complete product and nutritionally balanced with a high protein content (91 Kcal/g nitrogen), enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides in agreement with the invention.

The composition and content of nutrients have been adapted to meet the specific nutritional requirementes of ill adults in hypercatabolic state.

                                      TABLE XI                                     __________________________________________________________________________     EXAMPLE VIII                                                                   HYPERPROTEIN DIET FOR USE IN CLINICAL NUTRITION                                                     For 100 g                                                                              For 100 ml                                        COMPOSITION          of powder                                                                              of liquid                                         __________________________________________________________________________     Water                --       77.28%                                           Maltodextrines       50.6%   11.49%                                            Lactalbumin          15.96%  3.64%                                             Calcium caseinate    13.08%  3.14%                                             Vegetable oils       9.13%   1.99%                                             Butterfat            6.52%   1.49%                                             Minerals*            3.41%   0.68%                                             Nucleosides and/or nucletides***                                                                    0.75%   0.15%                                             Soy lecithin         0.5%    --                                                Emulsifier           --      0.11%                                             Stabilizer           --      0.02%                                             Vitamins**           0.026%  0.005%                                            Ascorbile palmitate  0.0232  0.0008%%                                          DL-α-Tocopherol                                                                               0.008   0.0002%%                                          *Mineral salts added                                                           Potassium chloride   1.01 g  220  mg                                           Magnesium sulfate    1.014                                                                               g  203  mg                                           Sodium phosphate dibasic                                                                            0.88 g  180  mg                                           Potassium phosphate dibasic                                                                         0.19 g  30   mg                                           Sodium chloride      0.16 g  40   mg                                           Calcium chloride     0.11 g  5    mg                                           Ferrous lactate      21   mg 4    mg                                           Zinc acetate         14   mg 3    mg                                           Manganese sulfate    4    mg 760  μg                                        Cupric sulfate       3    mg 640  μg                                        Sodium fluoride      2.2  mg 442  μg                                        Potassium chromium sulfate                                                                          480  μg                                                                             96   μg                                        Sodium molybdate     315  μg                                                                             63   μg                                        Sodium selenite      166  μg                                                                             33   μg                                        Potassium iodine     49   μg                                                                             10   μg                                        **Vitamins added                                                               As in Example VII                                                              ***Nucleosides and/or nucleotides added                                        Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate                                                            150  mg 30   mg                                           Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate                                                              150  mg 30   mg                                           Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate                                                            150  mg 30   mg                                           Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate                                                                150  mg 30   mg                                           Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate                                                                150  mg 30   mg                                           __________________________________________________________________________

EXAMPLE IX

This example provides a complete product and nutritionally balanced, with a high nitrogen content, using as source of this element a protein hydrolyzate with a low molecular weight to make easier its absorption, enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides according to the invention. The energy ratio of this product is 100 Kcal/g nitrogen.

The composition and content of nutrients have been adapted to satisfy the specific nutritional requirements of ill adults suffering diverse malabsorption-malnutrition syndromes.

                                      TABLE XII                                    __________________________________________________________________________     EXAMPLE IX                                                                     PEPTIDE-MCT DIET FOR USE IN CLINICAL NUTRITION                                                      For 100 g                                                                              For 100 ml                                        COMPOSITION          of powder                                                                              of liquid                                         __________________________________________________________________________     Water                --      77.83%                                            Maltodextrines       51.62%  11.43%                                            Casein hydrolyzate   25.80%  5.72%                                             Vegetable oils       12.44%  2.76%                                             Minerals*            5.02%   1.11%                                             Butterfat            3.62%   0.8%                                              Nucleosides and/or nucleotides***                                                                   0.75%   0.17%                                             Soy lecithin         0.50%   --                                                Emulsifier           --      0.11%                                             L-Cistine            0.20%   0.04%                                             Stabilizer           --      0.02%                                             Vitamins**           0.026%  0.0058%                                           Ascorbile palmitate  0.0232% 0.0051%                                           DL-α-Tocopherol                                                                               0.0008% 0.0002%                                           *Mineral salts added                                                           Sodium phosphate dibasic                                                                            1.05 g  233  mg                                           Magnesium sulfate    1.014                                                                               g  225  mg                                           Calcium chloride     0.84 g  186  mg                                           Tripotassium citrate 0.83 g  184  mg                                           Potassium phosphate dibasic                                                                         0.80 g  177  mg                                           Sodium chloride      0.44 g  97   mg                                           Ferrous lactate      21   mg 4.6  mg                                           Zinc acetate         14   mg 3.1  mg                                           Manganese sulfate    4    mg 888  μg                                        Cupric sulfate       3    mg 665  μg                                        Sodium fluoride      2.2  mg 488  μg                                        Potassium chromium sulfate                                                                          480  μg                                                                             106  μg                                        Sodium molybdate     315  μg                                                                             70   μg                                        Sodium selenite      166  μg                                                                             37   μg                                        Potassium iodine     49   μg                                                                             11   μg                                        **Vitamins added                                                               As in Example VII.                                                             ***Nucleosides and/or nucleotides and other substances added                   Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate                                                            150  mg 30   mg                                           Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate                                                              150  mg 30   mg                                           Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate                                                            150  mg 30   mg                                           Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate                                                                150  mg 30   mg                                           Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate                                                                150  mg 30   mg                                           L-Cistine            200  mg 40   mg                                           __________________________________________________________________________

EXAMPLE X

This example provides a complete product and nutritionally balanced with a low protein content, supplemented with branched chain amino acids and enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides.

The composition and content of nutrients have been adapted to satisfy the specific nutritional requirements of ill adults suffering severe hepatopathy.

                                      TABLE XIII                                   __________________________________________________________________________     EXAMPLE X                                                                      COMPLETE DIET FOR USE IN CLINICAL NUTRITION                                    OF PATIENTS WITH LIVER DISEASE                                                                      For 100 g                                                                              For 100 ml                                        COMPOSITION          of powder                                                                              of liquid                                         __________________________________________________________________________     Water                --      76.36%                                            Maltodextrines       72.13%  17.04%                                            Vegetable oils       7.48%   1.77%                                             Lactalbumin          7.26%   1.72%                                             Calcium caseinate    6.27%   1.48%                                             Minerals*            2.94%   0.69%                                             L-Leucine            1.16%   0.27%                                             L-Valine             0.87%   0.21%                                             L-Isoleucine         0.87%   0.21%                                             Nucleosides and/or nucleotides***                                                                   0.75%   0.18%                                             Soy lecithin         0.22%   --                                                Emulsifier           --      0.05%                                             Stabilizer           --      0.01%                                             Vitamins**           0.026%  0.006%                                            Ascorbile palmitate  0.0197% 0.005%                                            DL-αTocopherol 0.0003% 0.00007%                                          *Mineral salts added                                                           Magnesium sulfate    1.014                                                                               g  225  mg                                           Potassium phosphate dibasic                                                                         0.67 g  158  mg                                           Sodium phosphate dibasic                                                                            0.60 g  142  mg                                           Calcium chloride     0.49 g  116  mg                                           Sodium chloride      0.12 mg 28   mg                                           Ferrous lactate      21   mg 5    mg                                           Zinc acetate         14   mg 3.3  mg                                           Manganese sulfate    4    mg 946  μg                                        Cupric sulfate       3    mg 709  μg                                        Sodium fluoride      2.2  mg 520  μg                                        Potassium chromium sulfate                                                                          480  μg                                                                             113  μg                                        Sodium molybdate     315  μg                                                                             74   μg                                        Sodium selenite      166  μg                                                                             39   μg                                        Potassium iodine     49   μg                                                                             11.6 μg                                        **Vitamins added                                                               As in Example VII.                                                             ***Nucleosides and/or nucleotides and other substances added                   Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate                                                            150  mg 30   mg                                           Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate                                                              150  mg 30   mg                                           Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate                                                            150  mg 30   mg                                           Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate                                                                150  mg 30   mg                                           Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate                                                                150  mg 30   mg                                           L-Leucine            1.16 mg 274  mg                                           L-Valine             870  mg 206  mg                                           L-Isoleucine         870  mg 206  mg                                           __________________________________________________________________________

EXAMPLE XI

This example provides a product considered as a nutritional supplement for the nutritional repletion of patients with chronic hepatopathy, constituted by a mixture of proteins from milk origin, supplemented with branched chain amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals and enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides.

                                      TABLE XIV                                    __________________________________________________________________________     EXAMPLE XI                                                                     HYPERPROTENC DIET SUPPLEMENTED WITH BRANCHED                                   CHAIN AMINO ACIDS FOR USE IN CLINICAL NUTRITION                                OF PATIENTS WITH LIVER DISEASE                                                                      For 100 g                                                                              For 100 ml                                        COMPOSITION          of powder                                                                              of liquid                                         __________________________________________________________________________     Water                --      80%                                               Maltodextrines       36.72%  7.32%                                             Lactalbumin          26.26%  5.25%                                             Sodium caseinate     21.95%  4.39%                                             L-Leucine            4.04%   0.81%                                             Minerals*            3.2%    0.64%                                             L-Valine             3.03%   0.61%                                             L-Isoleucine         3.03%   0.61%                                             Nucleosides and/or nucleotides***                                                                   0.75%   0.15%                                             Vitamins**           0.026%  0.005%                                            *Mineral salts added                                                           Magnesium sulfate    1.014                                                                               g  203  mg                                           Potassium chloride   0.89 g  178  mg                                           Calcium chloride     0.38 g  76   mg                                           Sodium phosphate dibasic                                                                            0.36 g  72   mg                                           Tripotassium citrate 0.34 g  68   mg                                           Potassium phosphate dibasic                                                                         0.17 g  34   mg                                           Ferrous lactate      21   mg 4.2  mg                                           Zinc acetate         14   mg 2.8  mg                                           Manganese sulfate    4    mg 800  μg                                        Cupric sulfate       3    mg 600  μg                                        Sodium fluoride      2.2  mg 440  μg                                        Potassium chromium sulfate                                                                          480  μg                                                                             96   μg                                        Sodium molybdate     315  μg                                                                             63   μg                                        Sodium selenite      166  μg                                                                             33   μg                                        Potassium iodine     49   μg                                                                             9.8  μg                                        **Vitamins added                                                               As in Example VII.                                                              ***Nucleosides and/or nucleotides and other substances added                  Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate                                                            150  mg 30   mg                                           Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate                                                              150  mg 30   mg                                           Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate                                                            150  mg 30   mg                                           Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate                                                                150  mg 30   mg                                           Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate                                                                150  mg 30   mg                                           L-Leucine            4.04 g  810  mg                                           L-Valine             3.03 g  610  mg                                           L-Isoleucine         3.03 g  610  mg                                           __________________________________________________________________________

The invention having been thus described, it will be appreciated by those in the art that variations can occur within the scope of the claims which follow. 

We claim:
 1. A non-milk based infant formula comprising carbohydrates, a source of amino acids, vegetable oils, minerals, vitamins, wherein the formula contains at least one of uridine, uridine phosphate or mixtures thereof; guanosine, guanosine phosphate or mixtures thereof; adenosine, adenosine phosphate or mixture thereof; cytidine, cytidine phosphate or mixtures thereof or inosine, inosine phosphate or mixtures thereof.
 2. An infant formula according to claim 1, which comprises (on a dry basis per 100 g):a) up to 17.40 mg uridine, uridine phosphate or mixture thereof; b) up to 3.32 mg guanosine, guanosine phosphate or mixtures thereof; c) up to 3.75 mg adenosine, adenosine phosphate or mixtures thereof; d) up to 4.58 mg cytidine, cytidine phosphate or mixtures thereof; and e) up to 1.92 mg of inosine, inosine phosphate or mixtures thereof.
 3. An infant formula according to claim 2 containing in mg per 100 g total weight:uridine and/or uridine phosphate: 17.40-1.86 mg; guanosine and/or guanosine phosphate: 3.32-0.27 mg; adenosine and/or adenosine phosphate: 9.50-4.25 mg; cytidine and/or cytidine phosphate: 10.16-3.52 mg; and inosine and/or inosine phosphate: 1.92-0.00.
 4. An infant formula according to claim 3 containing L-cystine.
 5. An infant formula according to claim 3 containing carnitine.
 6. An infant formula according to claim 2 containing L-cystine.
 7. An infant formula according to claim 2 containing carnitine.
 8. An infant formula according to claim 6 in powdered form.
 9. A formulation according to claim 8 in powder form containing for each 100 g;uridine: 1-300 mg; guanosine: 1-300 mg; adenosine: 1-300 mg; cytidine: 1-300 mg; and inosine: 1-300 mg.
 10. A powdered formulation according to claim 9 containing:uridine: 50-250 mg; guanosine: 50-250 mg; adenosine: 50-250 mg; cytidine: 50-250 mg; and inosine: 50-250 mg.
 11. An infant formula according to claim 1 in liquid form.
 12. An infant formula according to claim 11, containing per dl:uridine and/or uridine phosphate: 2.62-0.28 mg; guanosine and/or guanosine phosphate 0.50 -0.04 mg; adenosine and/or adenosine phosphate: 1.43-0.64 mg; cytidine and/or cytidine phosphate: 1.53-0.53 mg; and inosine and/or inosine phosphate: 0.29-0.00.
 13. A process for the preparation and aseptic packaging of a liquid infant formula or a liquid nutritionally balanced diet formulation comprising a composition as set forth in claim 1, said process comprising the steps of:a) mixing aqueous liquid and non-fat solids of said composition in the absence of any vitamins, nucleosides and nucleotides; b) preheating the mixture to a temperature ranging from about 75° to 80° C. and then deaerating the heated mixture followed by adding the vegetable oils to the deaerated mixture; c) homogenizing the mixture under pressure and then cooling; d) standardizing the mixture by addition of any vitamins, minerals, nucleosides, nucleotides and other components not added in step a), and adjusting the pH in the range of about 6.8 to about 7.1; e) UHT (ultra-high temperature) sterilizing the standardized mixture and subsequently homogenizing the mixture under pressure; f) cooling the homogenized mixture and aseptically packaging same.
 14. A process for the preparation and bottling of a liquid infant formula or a liquid nutritionally balanced diet formulation comprising a composition as set forth in claim 1, said process comprising the steps of:a) mixing aqueous liquid and non-fat solids of said composition in the absence of any vitamins, nucleosides and nucleotides; b) preheating the mixture to a temperature ranging from about 75° to about 80° C. and then deaerating the heated mixture followed by adding the vegetable oils to the deaerated mixture; c) homogenizing the mixture under pressure and then cooling; d) adjust the pH of the mixture under pressure and then cooling; e) standardizing the UHT sterilized mixture by the addition of any vitamins, minerals, nucleosides, nucleotides and other components not added in step a) and reheating the standardized mixture to a temperature ranging from about 30° C. to about 70° C. and bottling the heated mixture; f) sterilizing the bottled mixture a second time to obtain a final bottled product in a liquid form.
 15. A process for the preparation in powder form of an infant formula or a nutritionally balanced diet formulation comprising a composition as set forth in claim 1, said process comprising the steps of:a) mixing water with the non-fats of said composition in the absence of the vitamins, nucleosides and nucleotides; b) preheating the mixture to a temperature ranging from about 75° to about 80° C. and then deaerating the heated mixture and then adding the vegetable oils to the deaerated mixture; c) homogenizing the mixture under pressure and then cooling; d) standardizing the mixture by addition of any vitamins, minerals, nucleosides, nucleotides and other components not added in step a), and adjusting the pH in the range of about 6.8 to about 7.1; e) reheating the standardized mixture to between about 65° C. and 70° C.; f) homogenizing the reheated mixture and drying the homogenized mixture in a spray drier to obtain a final dry powder product; and g) packaging the dry powder product.
 16. A formulation according to claim 1 in liquid form containing per dl:uridine: 0.2-60 mg; guanosine: 0.2-60 mg; adenosine: 0.2-60 mg; cytidine: 0.2-60 mg; and inosine: 0.2-60 mg.
 17. A liquid formulation according to claim 16 containing:uridine: 10-50 mg; guanosine: 10-50 mg; adenosine: 10-50 mg; cytidine: 10-50 mg; and inosine: 10-50 mg. 